It's so interesting when one Bible passage informs another. It might be two different books of the Bible, written by different authors, written hundreds of years apart even. But when you lay the two passages alongside one another, they show us exactly what God desires for us, and from us.

Today the lesson is this: Sometimes it's just about grabbing hold and not letting go. Jacob wrestled with God, and God could not overpower him. God even wrenched Jacob's hip out of his socket, and still Jacob wouldn't let go.

"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me'" (Genesis 32:24-26, NIV).

Wow. Really? I will not let you go unless you bless me. That's saying something, isn't it? This guy is Navy SEAL tough when it comes to getting God to bless him.

In Proverbs 2, Solomon writes to us. And while he uses different language, he means exactly the same thing. Grab hold, don't let go. Don't release him, or his wisdom, until he blesses you.

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5, NIV).

God, I will wrestle you down!

Our reading for Friday, January 16, is Genesis 32:1 - 33:20, Matthew 12:22-45 and Proverbs 2:1-11.

Header image based on "Four Soldiers Make Team USA" by U.S. Army, CC by 2.0